Mobile ship-to-pier gangway structure



Oct. 3, 1950 J LUTHER, JR 2,524,454

MOBILE SHIP-TO-PIER GANGWAY STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 25, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 the! Jz INVENTOR.

BY Mm, k W -Mmm Oct. 3, 1950 JR 2,524,454

MOBILE SHIP-TO-PIER GANGWAY STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 23, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3.

Max J. Luther, Jr. 39 INVENTOR.

If I' 40 syfiumwamu Oct. 3, 1950 LUTHER, JR 2,524,454

MOBILE SHIP-TO-PIER GANGWAY STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 23, 1949' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fly. 4

IIIHI HIIllIIIHIIHHHHIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHII llfi lmiii iil i Max J. Luther, Jr. INVENTOR.

BY 24mm Patented Oct. 3, 1950 MOBILE SHIP-TO-PIER GANGWAY STRUCTURE Max J. Luther, Jr., Corpus Christi, Tex. Application September 23, 1949, Serial No. 117,380

Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in mobile ship-to-pier gangway structures for ships of the oil tanker type, and the like.

By way of premise, oil tankers are constructed with an elevated catwalk on the deck running for a substantial distance along the longitudinal center of the ship.

The primary object of my invention is to provide for such ships practical gangway structure extending from the catwalk over the sides of the ship to a pier, and which is adapted to be moved along the ship into dilferent set positions to locate the structure relative to the pier, as may be required my mooring of the ship in different positions alongside the pier, or for other reasons.

Another object is to provide a gangway structure of the type and for the purpose above set forth which is safe, easy to operate, economical to manufacture, and adapted to be installed on present-day tankers without any change in the basic structure of the tanker.

Other and subordinate objects, within the purview of my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference tothedrawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in plan illustrating an oil tanker ship equipped with my improved gangway structure;

Figure 2 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in plan drawn to a larger scale and partly broken away;

Figure 4 is a view in longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in transverse section taken on the line 6-45 of Figure 3 and drawn to a larger scale; and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view in transverse section taken on the line 1-! of Figure 3 and drawn to a larger scale.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, I designates the hull of an oil tanker, or ship, equipped according to my invention and located alongside a pier 2, the illustration of the tanker and pier being conventional as sufiicient for the present purposes. The numeral 3 designates the usual longitudinal, central catwalk elevated above the deck 4 by side supports 5 surmounted by channel iron bars 6 extending along opposite sides of the catwalk 3. The usual side rails of such ships, relatively lower than the catwalk 3, are designated 1.

According to my invention, duplicate mobile gangway structures are provided upon opposite sides of the catwalk 3. These structure desie- 2 nated 8, 9 being duplicates, a description of one will suffice for both.

For example. the mobile gangway structure 9 comprises a bridge section It extending from one side of the catwalk 3 to the side rail 1 opposite said side of the catwalk The bridge section I ll comprises an elongated, sheet metal, channeled deck ll forming upturned, longitudinal guide flanges I2 extending along the same for a purpose presently seen. The inboard end of the deck I! rests upon the sides laterally along the channel bar 6 at the side of the catwalk 3 from which said bridge section It extends.

At the outboard end thereof, the deck I l is formed with a downwardly and outwardly inclined ramp l3, for a purpose presently seen, and which extends to the side rail 3 over the same and is equipped with an inverted end channel guide M beneath the same riding upon a U- shaped track bar I 5 suitably fixed to and extending along said rail 1 on the inboard side and adjacent the upper edge thereof. As will, of course, be manifest, the deck H between the catwalk 3 and the ramp I3 is supported horizontally, level with the catwalk 3 and parallel with the deck 4, by the channel bar 3 upon which it rests and by the track bar l5. An additional support for the deck I l is provided and will presently be described.

A pair of opposite ladder sections [6 are suitably fixed to opposite sides of the bridge section Ill adjacent the ramp l3 and which incline downwardly and outwardly thereof with lower ends terminating a short distance above the deck 4.

Hand railings I! extend along the sides of the deck ll upon opposite sides of the ladder sections I 6 and are suitably fixed in keepers 18 provided on the flanges l2 of said deck.

A rectangular frame l9 upstanding from the deck 4, parallel with the catwalk 3, also sup.- ports the deck I l between the pair of ladder sections I6 and the ramp l3, said frame I9 including end uprights 23 rising from and suitably fixed to the deck 4, a top channel bar 2| upon which the deck ll rests and is laterally slidable, and diagonal strut bars 22 connected by a gusset plate 23.

Means are provided for propelling the bridge sections Ill laterally along the catwalk 3 on the channel bars 6, 2| and the track section l5 and will now be described. A [pair of rack bars 24', 25 extend along the channel bars 6, 2| supporting said bridge sections H]. A crankshaft 26 is suitably journaled in the deck II to depend therefrom alongside the rack bar 24 with a gear pinion 21 fast thereon and meshing with said rack bar. A crankshaft 28, like the crankshaft 26, is journaled in bearings 29 on cross-bars 30 connecting the pair of ladder sections l6 and has fast thereon a gear pinion 3i meshing with the rack bar 25.

A gangplank. section 32 is provided for. exten side rollers 34 for running on. saiddeck H, saidi rollers 34 being arranged in pairs suitably spaced apart longitudinally of the deck 33 and mounted on cross rods, as at 35, suitably secured in the sides of the deck'33. Suitably trussed hand railings 36 of the conventional type extend along the sides of the deck 33 of the gangplank section 32. Corner caster wheels 31 on the outboard end of the deck 33 are provided for riding on the pier 2.

A pair of cams 38 are of each ladder. section it, at opposite sides of the section, and which. are fast on a cross shaft 39 journaled in the sides of said sections [6. A hand lever M'Lfast onone end of the cross shaft 39, provides for rocking said). shaft to rock the cams 38 into frictional engagement. with the deck 4, as shown at the right-hand side of Figure 4,,to frictionally lock. the gangway structure 9 against lateral movement. In the friction locking position of the pairs of cams 38, the hand. levers. 4U. abut the deck 4 and overbalance the pairs of cams. 38 to retain the same inlockin-g position. Movement of the hand levers Ml into an opposite. position, as, shown. at the left-hand sideof Figure 4-, unlocks. the cams 43, as. will be readily understood.

The. use and operation of the described gangway structure will be, readily understood. The gangplank section 32, when not in use,,is rolled into; the bridge section. H] for support. thereon inretracted, inboard. position, as illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, and also in Figures 1. and,2 as regards the gangplank section. of the gangway structure 8.. Inthe retracted. position there,- o-f ,,the gangplank section. 32 maybe-lashed tight .tdthe bridge section It, in, any suitable manner,

not shown. Whenthe tanker, or ship. I. is snitably moored to the pier 2, the gangway structured may bemoved, or, adjustedalong the catwalk 3 and side rail l. into a desired position suitable. forv lowering. the. gangplank section 32., and by operation of. the; hand cranks 25, 28 to cause the gear pinions. 2.7, 3i to. roll along the rack bars 24-, 2t and thereby move said structure 8 into. desired, position. Then the bridge section Ill may befrictionally locked in set position by meansot the cams 3.8. and the. hand levers 4!! in thernanner already described.

- To, lower the gangplank. section. 32, it, is rolled and proiected outv of the outboard. end of the bridge section It! to the desired extent, with... the outboard end, thereof riding, on the, pier 2 and its inboard end. resting on the. ramp l3. In this connection, the.- angle. at,v which the. gangplank section. 32 is. disposed, when lowered, may. be varied. as, occasion may require, by variably positioning. its inboard end on the. ramp l3.v The gangplank section32 may be lashed to the bridge section ID in any. selected, projected position, or

otherwise anchored to said section ID in any suitable. manner.

The. foregoing will, it is believed, sufiice to impart a. clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

provided at-the lower end Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed asnew is:

1:. In a ship including a side rail, and a raised catwalk extending longitudinally and centrally of the ships deck, a gangway structure including a bridge section, extending from one side of the catwalk to said rail, means to mount said bridge section on said catwalk and rail for travelling movement along the same, and a gangplank section carried: by and on said bridge section; and extensible outzofthe same over said rail.

2. In a shipzincluding a side rail, and a raised catwalk extending longitudinally and centrally of theshipsdeck; a gangway structure including a bridge section extending from one side of the catwalk to said rail, means tomountsaid bridge section on said catwalk and rail for travelling movement along the same, a pair of ladder sections depending from opposite sides of said bridge section with lower ends terminating ad'- jacent said deck, means on said ends of the; laddersections operative into frictional" engagement with said deck to-hold saidbridgesection against travelling movement, and a gangplank carried by and on said bridgesection and extensible out of thesameover said rail.

3; In a shipincluding aside rail, and a raised catwalk extending longitudinally and centrally ofthe ships deck, a gangway structure including a bridge section extending. from one side of the. catwalkto said. rail; means to mount: said bridge section on said catwalk and rail for travelling movement' along the same, a gangplank section carried" by: and on said bridge section and extensible outof the same over said. rail, asupport for said bridge section rising from said deck intermediate the catwalk and rail and on which said bridge section is laterallyslidable in its travelling movement and rack and pinion devices on said bridge section and support de vices for moving saidbridge section.

4. In a ship including a side rail, and a raised catwalk extending longitudinally andcentrally of the ships deck, a gangway structure including a bridge section extending from one side of said catwalk to said rail and having inboard and outboard ends slidably mounted respectively on said catwalk and rail for travelling movement of said bridge section along saidcatwalk and rail,

said bridge section including a downwardly and outwardly inclined ramp leading to said rail, and a gangplank section carried by said bridge section and rollersupported thereon for extension out of said bridgesection over said rail and lowering on said ramp section.

5'. In a ship-including a side rail, and a raised catwalk extending longitudinally and centrally of the ships deck, a gangway structure including a bridge section extending from one side of the catwalk to said rail, means to mount said bridge section on said catwalk and rail fortravelling movement along the same, a gangplank section carriedby and on saidbridge section and extensible out of the same over said rail, and manipulative means under said bridge section operative from the deck to cause travelling movement of said bridge section.

MAX J. LUTHER, JR.

No-references cited. 

